JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn.—The Barry Buccaneers got a goal from Shanice Robe in double-overtime to knock off the Tampa Spartans and claim the NCAA Division II South Region Women's Soccer Championship on Friday at McCown Field on the campus of Carson-Newman University.
With barely two minutes left in the final overtime period, Robe took a throw-in from Christy Grimshaw and carried the ball into the right corner. She lofted a cross off the outside of her foot and it bent into the goal over the head of Spartan keeper Caroline Frykgard.
"I thought we played a good game, especially in the first half" Barry head coach Denise Brolly said after the match. "It just shows the character of this team, that they keep finding ways to win."
The win propels the Bucs (15-2-1) into the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 1:00 pm against the Columbus State Cougars, who won the Southeast Region Championship 4-1 over the host Eagles.
The game was the third of the season for the Bucs and Spartans (13-5-5) to go into overtime. The teams tied 1-1 at Pepin Stadium in the regular season and Barry won 2-1 in the Sunshine State Conference Tournament at Buccaneer Field. Robe scored the game-winner in both wins for Barry.
Barry had the better of play for the majority of the game, holding a 21-11 edge in shots, including 8-4 on goal. Paula Forero had four saves for the Bucs to post her 10th shutout of the season, moving her into a tie with Connie Fish (1987) for the seventh-most in a season by a Buccaneer. Frykgard had five saves and benefitted from two back saves and one ball off the crossbar.
For Barry, it's their first trip to the national quarterfinals since 2003 as their historic season continues. The Bucs, who won the SSC regular season and tournament titles as well, knocked off the Spartans for the first time in the NCAA Tournament in four tries.
